Computer Storage Devices
Definition of computer storage devices
A computer storage device is any type of computing hardware that is used for storing, porting or extracting data files and objects. A storage unit is a part of the computer system which is to be processed. A storage device an integral part of the computer hardware which stores information/data to process the result of any computational work. Without a storage device, a computer would not be able to run or even boot up. It can also store information/data both temporarily and permanently. They may be internal or external to a computer, server or computing.
Computer storage is two of types,
1. Primary storage devices
2. Secondary storage devices
Primary storage devices known as internal memory and main memory. This is a section of the CPU that holds program instructions, input data and intermediate results. It is generally smaller in size RAM (Random Access Memory) and ROMM (Read Only Memory) are examples of primary storage.
Secondary storage is a memory that is stored external to the computer. It is mainly used for the permanent and long-term storage of programs and data. Hard disk. CD, DVD, pen/flash drive, SSD, etc., are examples of secondary storage.
All data are stored in computer storage device in the digital form such as binary form like as 0 and 1. Users can retrieve of saved instruction or information anytime when they are needed.
The usage of storage devices
A computer storage device is any type of hardware that stores data. Storage devices are a very useful component to have. Many times, they also go by the name external hard drives. Different people use them for different purpose, as they are very versatile.
· Computer Backup
The majority of secondary storage devices are used for backing up data. Most likely, our computer is filled with all of our music, pictures, videos and other items of value. We may also have expensive applications that we paid for loaded onto it. Backing up our data is always recommended in case of a hard drive crash on computer.
·External Hard drive
Common use of secondary storage devices is to serve as an external hard drive. If the hard drive on our computer is getting full, why not add an external hard drive? The simply add a secondary device via a USB port and we now have up to two terabytes of extra space added a computer. This is also an ideal solution for note book users who are unable to upgrade the hard drives in their computers.
·Network attached storage
Many businesses will connect storage device to their network. This acts as an easy way for them to share files. When we connect a storage device to network, we can set specific permission for anyone on our network to connect to it.
· For Travel and easy Transport
A very popular use of storage devices has become using them to transport data. Whether we are going on an airplane and need to bring files to our boss, or just want to run a computer game to our friend, secondary storage devices will do the trick.
· Store
A storage device for a computer enables its user to store and safely access the data and applications on a computer device.
Types of storage
Storage device is hardware that is used for storing, porting, or extracting data files. There are four types of storage.
1. Primary storage
It is also known as main memory. Main memory is directly of indirectly connected to the central processing unit via a memory bus. The CPU continuously reads instructions stored there and executes them as required. Examples are RAM, ROM, Cache, etc.
· RAM
It is called Random Access Memory. Because any of the data in RAM can be accessed just as fast as any of the other data.
There are two types of RAM
ROM
It is called Read Only Memory. This memory is used as the computer begins to boot up. Small programs called firmware are often stored in ROM chips on hardware devices (like a BIOS chip), and they contain instructions the computer can use in performing some of the most basic operations required to operate hardware devices. ROM memory cannot be easily or quickly overwritten or modified.
· Cache
Cache is a high- speed access area that can be either a reserved section of main memory or a storage device. Most computers today come with L3 cache and L2 cache, while older computers included only L1 cache.
2. Secondary Storage
It is not directly accessible by the CPU. Computer usually uses its input/output channels to access secondary storage and transfers the desired data using intermediate area in primary storage. Example is Hard Disk.
· Hard Disc
The hard disk drive is the main, and usually largest, data storage device in a computer. It can store anywhere from 166 Gb to 2 TB. Hard disk speed is the speed at which content can be read and written on a hard disk. A hard disk unit comes with a set rotation time is measured in milliseconds. A magnetic disk’s medium contains iron particles, which can be polarized — given a magnetic charge — in one of two directions. A disk drive use read/write heads containing electromagnets to create magnetic charges on the medium.
Before a magnetic disk can be used, it must be formatted a process that maps the disk’s surface and determines how data will be stored. During formatting, the drive creates circular tracks around the disk’s surface, then divides each track into sections. The OS organizes sectors. The OS organizes sectors in to groups, called clusters, then tracks each fill’s location according to the clusters it occupies.
3. Tertiary storage
Typically, it involves a robotic mechanism which will mount (insert) and dismount removable mass storage media into a storage device. It is a comprehensive computer storage system that is usually very slow, so it is usually used to archive data that is not accessed frequently. This is primarily useful for extraordinarily large data stores, accessed without human operators. Example are Magnetic Tape, Optical Disc, etc.
·Magnetic Tape
A magnetically coated strip of plastic on which data can be encoded. Tapes for computers are similar to tapes used to store music. Tape is much less expensive than other storage mediums but commonly a much slower solution that is commonly used for backup.
· Optical Disc
Optical disc is any storage media that holds content in digital format and is read using a laser assembly is considered optical media. The most common types of optical media are Blue-ray disc (BD), Compact Disc (CD), Digital Versatile Disc (DVD).
4. Offline storage
Also known as disconnected storage. Is a computer data storage on a medium or a device that is not under the control of a processing unit? Its must be inserted or connected by a human operator before a computer can access it again. Examples are Floppy Disk, Zip diskette, USB Flash drive, Memory Card, etc.
· Floppy Disk
A soft magnetic Disk. Floppy disks are portable. floppy disks are slower to access than hard disks and have less storage capacity. But they are much less expensive. Can store data up to 1.44MB. two common sizes: 5 ¼ and 3 ½.
· Zip Diskette
Hardware data storage device developed by Iomega that functions like a standard 1.44 floppy drive. Capable to hold up to 100 MB of data or 250 MB of data on new drives. Now it less popular as users needed larger storage capabilities.
· USB Flash Drive
A small portable flash memory card that plugs into a computer’s USB port and functions as a portable hard drive. Flash drives are available in sizes such as 2GB,4GB, and up to 256 GB and are an easy way to transfer and store information. This type of storage media is called solid state memory, and differs from optical and magnetic drives.
· Memory Card
An electronic flash memory storage disk commonly used in consumer electronic devices such as digital cameras, Mp3 players, mobile phones, and other small portable devices. Memory cards are usually read by connecting device containing the card to your computer, or by using a USB card to your computer, or by using a USB card reader.
Types of Computer Storage Devices
1. Magnetic Storage Devices
· Floppy Disk
It is also known as a floppy diskette. It is generally used on a personal computer to store data externally. A floppy disk is made up of a plastic cartridge and secures with a protective case. Nowadays floppy disk is replaced by new and effective storage devices like USB, etc.
· Hard Disk
It is a storage device (HDD) that store and retrieves data using magnetic storage. It is a nonvolatile storage device that can be modified or deleted n number of times without any problem. Most of the computers and laptops have HDDs as their secondary storage device.
·Magnetic card
It is a card in which data is stored by modifying or rearranging the magnetism of tiny iron based magnetic parties present on the band of the card. It is also known as a swipe card. It is used like a passcode (to enter into house or hotel room), credit card, identity card, etc.
· Tape Cassette
It is also known as a music cassette. It is a rectangular float container in which the data is stored in an analog magnetic tape. It is generally used to store audio recordings.
· Super Disk
It is also called LS-240 and LS-120. It is introduced by Imation corporation and it is popular with OEM computers. It can store data up to 240 MB.
2. Optical Storage Devices
· CD
It is known as compact disk. It is made up of polycarbonate plastic and is circular in shape. CD can store data up to 240 MB.
· DVD
DVDs are circular flat optical discs used to store data. It comes in two different size. One is 4.7GB single layer discs and another one is 8.5 GB double layer discs. DVDs look like CDs but the storage capacity of DVDs is more than as compared to CD.
· Blue-ray Disc
It is a just like CD and DVD but the storage capacity of blue-ray is up to 25GB. To run a Blue-violet laser due to which the information is stored in greater density with a longer wavelength.
3. Flash Memory Devices
It is a cheaper and portable storage device. It is the most commonly used device to store data because is more reliable and efficient as compare to other storage devices. Some of the commonly used flash memory devices here.
· Pen Drive
It is also known as a USB flash drive that includes flash memory with an integrated USB interface. We can directly connect these devices to our computers and laptops and read/write data into them in a much faster and efficient way. These devices are very portable. It ranges from 1 GB to 256GB generally.
· SSD
This device came out in the 9os. Solid state drives use NAND, a type of flash memory that is faster and takes less space. It has semiconductors to stores to store information by electrical current changes in the circuits. They don’t need moving parts for operation a thus work faster, smother and longer. Applications for solid-state drives are smartphones, Tablet computers, high-end laptops, two drive desktop solutions, etc. Advantages of SSD Reliable and durable, increases better time, requires less power, doesn’t make noise, generates less heat, supertaster reading and writing speed, etc. Disadvantages of SSD higher cost, limited capacity in the drive and limited chances to write.
· SD card
It is known as a scare digital card. It is generally used with electronic devices like phones, digital cameras, etc. to store larger data. It is portable and the size of the SD card is also small so that it can easily fit into electronic devices. It is available in different sizes like 2GB, 4GB, 8GB, etc.
· Memory card
It is generally used in digital cameras, printers, game consoles, etc. It is also used to store large amount of data and is available in different sizes. To run a memory card on a computer you require a separate memory card reader.
·Multimedia card
It is also known as MMC. It is an integrated circuit that is generally used in-car radios, digital cameras, etc. It is an external device to store data/information.
4. Online cloud storage devices
The term cloud computing is used to describe the data centers available for users over the internet. Where they can save their databases and files. This data can easily be accessed over the internet anytime and anywhere.
This has become a common made to store data the largest or the smallest computerized devices can use the online cloud storage to save their data files. This option is also available in mobile phones where a backup of our files and data is being managed.
Most used storage devices
Many storage devices have in the world. Most used storage devices are
· Hard Drive Disk
It is the most popular data storage devices for home and business users. Hard disks are portable and affordable storage devices. They are available in different shapes and sizes with storage capacities ranging from megabytes to terabytes.
· USB Flash Drive
One of the most recognizable type of flash memory device is the USB flash Drive. Also known as a thumb drive or memory stick, these small, portable storage devices have long been a popular choice for extra computer storage.
·Solid-State Drives (SSD)
It is more durable because it does not contain optical disks inside like hard disks. It needs less power as compared to hard disks, is lightweight, and has 10x faster read and write speed as compared to hard disks.
·Compact Disks (CD)
An external device which can store and read data in the form of audio or software data.
·Digital Versatile Disc (DVD)
It can be done readable, recordable and rewritable. Recordings can be done in such devices and then can be attached to the system.
·Blue-ray Disc (BD)
This blue-ray technology is used to read a disc from a blue-violet laser due to which the information is stored in greater density with a longer wavelength.
·Secure Digital Cards (SD Cards)
It is secure digital card. Generally used with electronic devices like phones, digital cameras, etc. it is small and available in different sizes. like 2GB, 2GB, 4GB, 8GB, etc.
· RAM
It is a volatile memory. RAM regains all data from CPU in run-time and sends to control unit, and it is a fastest memory to hard disk.
Characteristics of computer storage devices
Over the years, the usage of computer and electronic devices have massively increased and so has the dependency on them. Personally, or professionally a lot of entered in to the computer and storing it becomes a must for future use. Thus, these internal and external storage devices have come in as a savior for the users.
In case of less memory space in the device, the various computer storage devices can be used to save the data securely without losing it.
Given below are a few characteristics of these storage devices:
· Because of volatile memory, the data stored can be saved and also replaced whenever needed.
·These devices are readable, writable and rewritable which ensure that the data saved if not necessary can be removed or replaced accordingly.
· Accessibility to these has become very easy and convenient. The devices are easily available online and offline and need no expertise for usage.
· The capacity and size of these drive and devices has become an added advantage.
· Even in terms of performance, using these storage devices the data can be saved easily but can also be transferred easily from one device to another.
Conclusion
The computer storage devices enable a computer system to work efficiently without worrying about the data. When we enter the corporate world, we will deal with data all the time. Thus, it is important to know about the basic functioning of the storage devices to maintain the data better.
References
BUJU. (2021). computer storage devices. Retrieved 10 15, 2021, from BUJU: https://byjus.com/govt-exams/computer-storage-devices/#Characteristics-of-Computer-Storage-Devices
Flair, D. (2021). computer storage devices types and uses. Retrieved 10 17, 2021, from Data Flair: https://data-flair.training/blogs/computer-storage-devices/
keshadi. (2021, 09 16). what is a storage device? Definition, types and examples. Retrieved 10 15, 2021, from Geeksforgeeks: https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/what-is-a-storage-device-definition-types-examples/
writter, c. (n.d.). use of secondary storage devices. Retrieved 10 16, 2021, from techwalla: https://www.techwalla.com/articles/uses-of-secondary-storage-devices